The Book of Mormon: Part 4 - Words of Mormon 1 & Mosiah 1-29

This part transitions from the smaller plates to Mormon’s abridgment of the larger plates, detailing the reign of King Benjamin and the religious and political upheavals during the time of Mosiah.

About the Author:
Joseph Smith (1805–1844) was an influential religious leader and founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church. Born in Sharon, Vermont, Smith moved with his family to rural New York during his youth, an area experiencing intense religious revivalism known as the Second Great Awakening.

At the age of fourteen, Smith claimed to have experienced a profound visionary encounter in which God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him, directing him away from the existing denominations and signaling his future role as a restorer of the ancient Christian faith. In 1827, Smith reported that an angel named Moroni guided him to a set of golden plates buried in a nearby hill. Smith stated that these plates contained the writings of prophets who lived in the Americas centuries prior, and over the next few years, he translated these records into what would become "The Book of Mormon," published in 1830.

Joseph Smith was also a Freemason, initiated into the Nauvoo Lodge in Illinois. He rapidly attained the rank of a Master Mason. His incorporation of Masonic elements into LDS temple ceremonies has been a point of contention, as some believe this contributed to the fractures between him and the Masonic community. Smith's leadership style, revelations, and theocratic vision often placed him at the center of significant controversy and conflict. His founding of cities, like Nauvoo, Illinois, and his candidacy for the United States presidency were marked by both fervent support and fierce opposition.

His life came to a tragic end when he was murdered by a mob in 1844 while imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois. This mob included non-Mormons and, reportedly, disaffected Masons, angry over a variety of issues including his handling of the Nauvoo Expositor. Despite the controversies surrounding his life and teachings, Joseph Smith left a lasting legacy on American religious history and continues to be revered as a prophet by millions of Latter-day Saints worldwide.